Mumbai: Sex change may not strip constable of uniform

In an unprecedented case, a female police constable may be able to undergo a sex change procedure and yet keep the uniform in the Maharashtra police.

The state law and judiciary department has advised the home department to treat considerately the case of Lalita Salve of Beed district, who had sought the department’s permission toge ta gen-der-reassignment operation done, according to sources.

The law and judiciary department wants the home department to grant her all the benefits due to a regular employee of the police department, they said.

The Beed police authorities had earlier rejected Ms Salve’s request for a month’s medical leave for undergoing the procedure. The authorities told her that the service rules did not allow a serving employee to undergo a sex change.

“The law and judiciary department has informed the home department to treat Salve on humanitarian grounds. She is entitled to all the facilities given to any government employee,” said a senior official from the law and judiciary department.

In November 2017, the Bombay high court had directed Ms Salve to approach the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal ( MAT). She approached her parent department for the leave. The home department sought the opinion of the law and judiciary department as there were no clear rules to handle such a situation.

“This will be treated as a special case. There is a technical difficulty as her gender will be changed after the operation. There are different criteria for a male constable like height. However, the department will have to look into the matter and get some solution,” said a senior official.